Shiren the Wanderer is a series with a lot of history. It began in 1995 as one of the first entries in the Mystery Dungeon genre, a group of roguelike/adventure games that now includes Pokémon and Final Fantasy spinoffs in addition to many original titles. Earlier in 2024, the series returned after a long hiatus with Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island. For this long-awaited return to the series, developer Spike Chunsoft chose to blend classic elements from past Shiren the Wanderer games with all-new systems to keep combat and exploration fresh.
In a conversation with The Best War Games, director Keisuke Sakurai and project manager Hideyuki Shinozaki discussed new and returning elements featured in The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island. They explained that they wanted to keep elements of the series that longtime players would like to see back, but also make the game something that players experiencing the Shiren series for the first time could enjoy. Striking this balance was especially important because the game released in the West a month after its Japanese debut, likely serving as many Western fans' introduction to the series.
Returning Elements Included Classic Characters And Monster Transformation
The central element that had to return was, of course, the character of Shiren himself. Sakurai and Shinozaki were dedicated to keeping their portrayal of Shiren faithful to his depiction in previous Shiren titles. Sakurai described the titular wanderer as "the friendly type, always ready to lend a hand to those in need. He's eager to take on challenges and tends to get caught up in local affairs." Also returning are Shiren's animal companion Koppa and his friend Asuka, a wandering swordswoman who had adventures of her own in a spinoff title.
One gameplay element the team chose to bring back from previous games was Shiren's ability to turn into a previously defeated monster by using special items. "The element of being able to transform into a monster was not in the previous title," said Sakurai, "but in an earlier one, it significantly expanded the gameplay, so we wanted to include it in this game." Monster transformation gives Shiren a wide range of abilities to choose from, rather than being limited to his sword, and helps him thoroughly explore the many secrets hidden on Serpentcoil Island.
Sumo Status Is One Of Many New Elements
A new element added to The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is Sumo Status, which Shiren can enter by eating enough food. Sakurai described Shiren's new ability as follows:
When your Fullness reaches 150 or more, you will attain 'Sumo Status.' This powerful state increases your Attack Power and allows you to destroy traps and walls. However, it also has the disadvantage of making you hungry much faster.
Players who want to increase Shiren's power and effortlessly destroy obstacles should definitely seek out plenty of food to utilize Sumo Status as often as possible. Other new elements include an asynchronous multiplayer system, the ability to battle against different types of monsters in the Monster Dojo, and more difficult but rewarding alternate routes during the main story. There are also several new types and groups of monsters that players can encounter, including several inspired by the pirate and ninja aesthetics of Serpentcoil Island and its denizens.
The blend of old and new has worked well for the team, as The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island was released to positive reviews and critical praise. It is not known yet if Spike Chunsoft plans to make more Shiren games in the future, but the series' old and new fans alike will eagerly look forward to it if they do.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is available now on Nintendo Switch.